Post Match NZ Warriors v Newcastle Knights - [Round 3, 2026]

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    Votes: 78 61.4%
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I've been thinking about this and I wonder if the numbers are even relevant.

It's more about the responsibilities, imo. In our case; Boyd organises(6), Metcalf(7) roams.

This could potentially resemble the Maloney/Johnson combo of 2011.
Boyd on the right as the organizer and main half who gets the ball 2/3 of the time and LM who gets it 1/3 of the time on the left. I don't care what number they wear.
 
How did those teams go? I asked google ai and found East won the whole thing in 1935 and then google went stupid and ignores the warriors
Actually Fox buggered it up.... in 2002, it wasn't until the last round, when the Bulldogs had their points deducted that we had the lead of the NRL table.

In 2009, we were 1st on the table after round 2 but slipped down to 8th after a Round 3 loss to the Broncos.

Even in 2018, when we won our first three games, the highest we got up the table was 2nd in the first three rounds.

In 2019, we were first after round 1, dropped down to 8th after round 2 and dropped to 12th after round 3.
 
I think Webby has correctly identified that if we want to be a contender, we cannot just try to out-Penrith Penrith which seems to be the approach of Ciraldo and the Dogs. We need to add variation to the shared systems that we have with Penrith and the Dogs and it is working wonders. I haven't seen ball-playing between the forwards like that since the Hasler glory days when he was at the Dogs. Also, adding Taine to the rotation provides genuine speed and support play up the middle. Taine and Wayde were ripping Newcastle up the middle during the first half in a way that I don't think CNK would have done.

We are probably not ready for Penrith yet. But if we keep building these new attacking variations, I think we could potentially trouble them in a way that the Dogs can't. As Brisbane showed last year, second phase play really unsettles their systems.
 
Boyd on the right as the organizer and main half who gets the ball 2/3 of the time and LM who gets it 1/3 of the time on the left. I don't care what number they wear.

That's a rigid horrible restraint that I don't really think exists in the NRL.

Play what's in front of you. One half gets the overcall and I think that would be Metcalf.
 
I think Webby has correctly identified that if we want to be a contender, we cannot just try to out-Penrith Penrith which seems to be the approach of Ciraldo and the Dogs. We need to add variation to the shared systems that we have with Penrith and the Dogs and it is working wonders. I haven't seen ball-playing between the forwards like that since the Hasler glory days when he was at the Dogs. Also, adding Taine to the rotation provides genuine speed and support play up the middle. Taine and Wayde were ripping Newcastle up the middle during the first half in a way that I don't think CNK would have done.

We are probably not ready for Penrith yet. But if we keep building these new attacking variations, I think we could potentially trouble them in a way that the Dogs can't. As Brisbane showed last year, second phase play really unsettles their systems.
Would be a good yardstick, maybe now is the right time, just to find out where we're at. Melbourne too.
 
We are probably not ready for Penrith yet. But if we keep building these new attacking variations, I think we could potentially trouble them in a way that the Dogs can't. As Brisbane showed last year, second phase play really unsettles their systems.

I think this is a pretty good summary.

The promising part is that our attack seems pretty difficult to defend.

There's an element of predictability to our game in that we changed JFH to Barney for our first half attacking phase and then changed Barney to JFH for our second attacking half phase.

But overall, our attacking options are pretty impressive in that basically everyone can be a runner.
 
So proud of the team and a heartfelt thank you to the Owners who are the first in our history to invest in the team and the fans. (Unlike others who used the team as a cash cow)

To all the forumers who called for us to recruit BIG Boppers. How is that looking now that the game has gone up a level?

Man, our pack and those on the bench will see us Premiers this year.

So many good points about the game but to me the standout was the no-look pass from Egan to Tannah to score under the posts.

Up the Wahs.
 
That's a rigid horrible restraint that I don't really think exists in the NRL.

Play what's in front of you. One half gets the overcall and I think that would be Metcalf.
Not a rigid restraint. One plays predominately right side and one left side just like all NRL teams do. Can still sweep either side. But Boyd is the one to call the majority of the shots, just as he has in these first 3 games and slot Metcalf in to 6.
 
Not a rigid restraint. One plays predominately right side and one left side just like all NRL teams do. Can still sweep either side. But Boyd is the one to call the majority of the shots, just as he has in these first 3 games and slot Metcalf in to 6.
Speaking of Penrith - have seen what Talagi and Cleary are already doing this year, and there's no reason why that couldn't be Metcalf and Boyd - thing is I think we have even better runners in our second row (Halasima, obviously) and better deception in the middle - I mean, one more game like that from Boyd and it's gone from a good idea to retain him to inevitable (I'm not a full believer yet - but last night was his best performance i reckon)
 
We do look fit. But I don't think we were quite as energetic as the first two weeks. There weren't so many players chasing in support as there were rounds one and two. Webster at the conference said it was very humid. I think we were struggling with that a little.
Must have been as close to the threshold of playing quarters with drinks stoppages without meeting the conditions.
 
One thing I haven't seen mentioned that I find interesting, is who do you move to the left if it's a Boyd/Metcalf combo.

Metcalf has the really awkward kicking style that just about puts everyone offside even on his favoured right side. So exposing his right broken leg/acl to consistent inside pressure on the left is a bit of a worry. But realistically at present you can't move Boyd from the right.

Certainly feels good to be debating which good players do we leave out of the 17 when everyone is fit. Can't remember ever having many of those conversations since 1995.
 
Metcalf has the really awkward kicking style that just about puts everyone offside even on his favoured right side. So exposing his right broken leg/acl to consistent inside pressure on the left is a bit of a worry. But realistically at present you can't move Boyd from the right.

Here's some food for thought.

Metcalf - 6, Boyd - 7.

One goes down, who's injury impacts us more?

Now reverse the roles.

Same question.

So many questions to be answered when the prodigal child gets back.
 
So proud of the team and a heartfelt thank you to the Owners who are the first in our history to invest in the team and the fans. (Unlike others who used the team as a cash cow)

To all the forumers who called for us to recruit BIG Boppers. How is that looking now that the game has gone up a level?

Man, our pack and those on the bench will see us Premiers this year.

So many good points about the game but to me the standout was the no-look pass from Egan to Tannah to score under the posts.

Up the Wahs.
I thought we needed another middle but got that wrong after what we’re seeing. Vaimauga is an enforcer on the field and even TSS couldn’t get on the field such is our quality
 
NRL
Newcastle Knights
Knights Knights
12 - 38
NZ
Warriors Warriors
📍 McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle 📡 Warriors Live
🔒
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Team Logo
7.0
NZ
Team Ave Team Average
Jackson Ford
8.9
Jackson Ford
Highest Best Performance
Morgan Gannon
3.9
Morgan Gannon
Lowest Needs Improvement
TEAM LIST
Taine Tuaupiki 1
7.8 (34)
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2
6.7 (34)
Ali Leiataua 3
Right Centre
6.2 (34)
Leka Halasima 11
Left Centre
6.8 (34)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5
6.7 (34)
Luke Hanson 6
Five-Eighth Club Debut
6.4 (34)
Tanah Boyd 7
Halfback
8.9 (34)
James Fisher-Harris 8
Right Prop Captain
7.9 (34)
Wayde Egan 9
7.2 (34)
Jackson Ford 10
Left Prop
8.9 (34)
Jacob Laban 12
Right Second Row
7.2 (34)
Morgan Gannon 18
Left Second Row
3.9 (34)
Erin Clark 13
Lock
7.5 (34)
Sam Healey 14
Interchange
5.9 (34)
Demitric Vaimauga 15
6.1 (34)
Tanner Stowers-Smith 16
Interchange DNP
Marata Niukore 17
Interchange
7.1 (34)
Mitchell Barnett 23
Interchange 50th Club Game
7.6 (34)
Alofiana Khan-Pereira 20
Interchange DNP
COACH
Andrew Webster HC
Andrew Webster
Head Coach
8.9 (34)
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